Control mechanism for centrifugal machines



Nov, 12, 1929.

H. J. M. c. KRANTZ CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed 000. 16, 1926 0 u BUG-H, unonow 0 0 0 1] BMW A TTO RNE Y Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES HUBER! J. M. C. KBANTZ, OF AACHEN, GERMANY COMBOL MECHANISM FOR CENTRH'UGAL MACHINES application filed October 16,

This invention relates to a centrifugal machine and particularly to control mechanism for such machine.

An object is to so construct the device that it will not only provide safety against accident to an operator but will also insure quick stoppage of the rotor or basket, whenever the drivi'n'g motor is shut-off.

A more detailed object is to provide mechanism connected with the control switch of the drive motorwhereby the act of throwing said switch to off position will release the cover of the machine so that it may be opened and at the same time apply a brake to stop '15 the rotation of the basket, the cover being locked closed and the brake being released whenever the motor switch is in on position.

Other objects and aims of the invention,

more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and

in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a centrifugal machine constructed in accordance with this invention, parts being shown in elevation, and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structure shown therein the reference character L indicates a main casing.

This casing may be of any suitable construction and within itis arranged the basket G in the usual relation common to centrifugal machinesof this general type. Both the casin and the basket are open at their upper si es as at 1 for the convenient insertion and removal of articles to be dried. The basket is formed with suitable perforations through its annular wall for instance as indicated by the reference character 2, and is somewhat 1926. Serial-No. 142,078.

smaller in diametenthan the casing to provide an open space 3 into which the moisture from the articles within the basket may flow.

' The central portion of the bottom wall 4: of the casing is projected upwardly as at 5 and prov1des a support for a ball-bearing device 6 at its upper end within which engages the main supporting shaft H of the basket.

The bottom wall 7 of the basket has its central portion projected upwardly as at 8 so as to provide a downwardly opening recess as 9 centrally of the under-side of the basket into which the upwardly projecting portion 5 of the casing projects. The bearing 6 13 thus disposed in a plane above the bottom of the basket, and preferably at the centre of gravity of the basket as more fully described in my co-pending application Serial Number 142,074, filed October 16, 1926.

The shaft H projects above the bearing 6 and s rigidly connected as at 10 to a hub portlon 11 provided at the upper end of the portion 8 of the basket.

The central portion of the bottom wall 4 of the casing has another portion which is pro ected downwardly as at 12 and provides a support for a ball-bearing device 13 at its lower end within which engages the lower end portion of the main supporting shaft H. so

The portion 12 provides also proper support for an end thrust bearing 14 at the lower end of the shaft H.

Upon the shaft H is mounted a pulley 15 about which engages an endless belt 16 ex- 8.

tending horizontally and engaging about a drive pulley 17 which is carried upon the shaft 18 of a motor 19.

The motor 19 is carried by the casing L.

In order to support the casing L said casing is provided with aplurality of laterally extending lugs as 20 thereon spaced equi-distant circumferentially of the casing. Each of these lugs is shaped to provide 111 its undersurface a ball seat 21 within which engages a 95. ball 22 carried at the lower end of a hanger link 23. The upper ends of these links 23 are provided with similar balls as 24 arranged to engage within ball seats 25- which are provided in the upper surfaces of suitabltlbracket is a brake band 41 having friction members members 26, said bracket members being in turn rigidly supported upon the main supporting floor 27.

It will be apparent from this arrangement that the casing L, including the basket and its driving means, will be free to vibrate upon the hanger links 23 without imparting any appreciable portion of said vibration to the floor 27.

It is also important to note that due to the unitary construction of the casing and the motor 19 the vibratory motions of the casing will be partaken of by the motor and hence will at no time alterthe distance between the pulleys 15 and 17. The driving efficiency of the motor, through belt 16 will thus not be impaired.

The circuit for the motor 19 is diagrammatically illustrated to include wires 28 and 29 leading from main supply conductors 30 and 31 respectively. The wire 28 is shown as being connected to one side of the motor as at 32 while the wire 29'is connected with a stationary contact 33. A companion contact 34 is connected to the opposite side of the motor as at 35 by a wire 36 and communication between contacts 33 and 34 is controlled by a sw tch member 37 which is connected with a rotatable shaft 38, said shaft being manually operable by a lever 39.

Formed upon the basket G, and preferably at the bottom thereof, as a part of the bottom wall 7, is a brake drum 40 concentric with shaft H, and encircling this drum 42 thereon adapted to friction against the drum 40 whenever the band is tightened.

Any suitable means may be employed for controlling this brake bandin response to turning on and off of the driving current for the motor 19. For the purpose of illustration the drawing herewith shows one end of the band as being fixed to the bottom wall 4 of the casing as at 43 while the opposite end is pivotally connected with the free end of an arm 44 said arm being fixed to a shaft 45 rotatable in a bearing 46 provided in the bottom wall 4 of the casing. To the opposite end of this shaft is fixed a lever 47 which projects to a position adjacent the lever 39, being there connected with said lever 39'by a connecting link 48 in such wise that when said lever 39 is swung to break connection between the contacts 33 and 34 the brake band will be at the same time moved to on position against the drum 40 to thereby quickly stop the rotation of the basket.

Covering the opening 1 of the casing L is a safety lid 49 which it is intended shall be always closed whenever the motor is running. This lid is pivotally mounted upon the casing as at 50, and as a convenient means of preventing the opening of the lid while the motor. is running the drawing illustrates thelid to be formed with a short crank arm 51 which is connected, by a hanger 52 to a plunger 53. The plunger is slidably mounted in a bracket 54 carried by the casing. A second plunger as 55 is also carried by this bracket and this second plunger is connected by a link 56 with a short arm 57 provided upon the upper end of the shaft 38.

The plungers 53 and 55 are so arranged that their paths of movement across each other as at 58 and the relation is thus such that the movement of one will always obstruct movement of the other. Hence, if the lid 49 is closed the switch 37 may be moved on and off at will whereas if said lid be open it will be impossible to move the plunger 55 for permitting closing of the switch, while if the switch be on, and the plunger 55 projected, then the lid 49 can not be opened.

It is important to note that the shaft 38, and in fact all of the parts described for concarried by the casing L so that they are free to move as a body with the casing. The free vibration of the casing is thus not-interfered with and, likewise, several parts refe red to are always maintained in proper rel tion to each ther irrespective of the vibratory movemen s.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined inthe following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable member, a drive motor connected to rotate said rotatable member, a displaceable guard for said rotatable member, locking means for holding said guard against displacement, a brake for said rotatable member, and means to produce an unlocked condition of said guard locking means and to insure an 03 position of the motor whenever thebrake is h 2. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable member, a drive motor connected to rotate said rotatable member, a displaceable guard for said rotatable member, locking means for .85 trolling the brake, the lid and the motor, are

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holding said guard against displacement, a

brake for said rotatable member, and means to produce an unlocked condition of said guard locking means and to insure an on position of the brake at all times when the motor is off, said means being of a character rendering the guard free for unhindered placement and displacement whenever the motor is 0E.

3.111 a. centrifugal machine, a rotatable member, a drive motor connected to rotate said rotatable member, a displaceable guard for said rotatable member locking means forsaid guard, a brake for said rotatable member, a manually 0perable motor controlling element, mechanical connections between said motor controlling element and said locking means effective manually to put the motor in on position and to put the locking means in locking position or inversely to put the motor in off positionand the locking means in unlocking position, and other mechanical connections between said manually operable motor controlling element and the brake efi'ective manually to put the motor in off position and apply the brake or inversely to put the motor in on position and release the brake.

4. In the centrifugal machine, a rotatable member, a drive motor connected to rotate said rotatable member, a displaceable guard for said rotatable member, locking means for said guard, a brake for said rotatable member, a manually operable motor controlling element, and mechanical connections by which said motor contro'llin element serves as a manual control also for the brake and for said locking means whereby the manual operation of the motor controlling element will simultaneously cause operation of the brake and the lock to insure off position of the motor and on position of the brake at all times when the guard is not in guarding position.

5. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable member, a drive motor to rotate said rotatable member, a displaceable guard for said rotatable member, a brake for said rotatable member, a lock for said displacement guard, a single manually operable lever, and connections between the lever the motor the brake and the lock whereby operation of the motor the brake and the lock are directly controllable by movement of said lever.

6. In a centrifugal machine, a rotatable member, a drive motor to rotate said rotatable member, a displaceable guard for said rotatable member, a brake for said rotatable member, a lock for said displaceable guard, a single manually operable lever, and connections between the lever the motor the brake and the lock whereby manual movement of the lever in one direction will release the brake start the motor and lock the guard, while movement of the lever in an opposite direction will apply the brake stop the motor and unlock the cover.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HUBERT J. M. C. KRANTZ. 

